Prime Highlights:
Retro Biosciences is raising $1 billion to support the development of AI-powered drugs aimed at extending human lifespan by a decade.
The start-up is backed by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, who initially provided $180 million in seed funding, and is now leading the Series A round.
Retro Biosciences uses an AI model developed in partnership with OpenAI to design proteins that reprogram regular cells into stem cells, potentially reversing aging.
Key Background:
San Francisco-based biotechnology start-up Retro Biosciences, backed by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, is embarking on a mission to extend human lifespan by a decade. To fund this ambitious goal, the company is seeking $1 billion in a Series A round, with plans to begin clinical trials for its first drug later this year.
Retro Biosciences aims to leverage cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) to develop groundbreaking treatments, including therapies for Alzheimer’s disease and other age-related conditions. Altman, who initially seeded the company with $180 million, is committed to providing additional funding. The company is also in discussions with family offices, venture capitalists, and sovereign wealth funds, along with a major U.S. data center provider to support its AI-powered research.
The company’s AI model, developed in partnership with OpenAI, designs proteins that temporarily reprogram regular cells into stem cells, potentially reversing the aging process. Retro Biosciences intends to use the Series A funds to support clinical trials for three drugs, including a potential Alzheimer’s treatment. This drug will be tested in early-stage trials in Australia later this year, while two additional therapies aim to rejuvenate blood and brain cells.
CEO Joe Betts-LaCroix, a former entrepreneur with experience selling companies to Google and Recursion, emphasized his goal of reducing human suffering, particularly for diseases like Alzheimer’s. He noted that, despite wealth, there is currently no cure for Alzheimer’s, which affects millions worldwide. Silicon Valley’s tech leaders, including Google co-founders and Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, have increasingly invested in life extension and healthspan-enhancing companies. However, Betts-LaCroix differentiates Retro Biosciences with a fast-paced, results-oriented approach, saying the company aims to expedite the typically slow drug development process.
Retro Biosciences is confident that its partnership with OpenAI will accelerate progress in creating innovative treatments to address aging and age-related diseases. The company’s first clinical trial will test a drug that restores the cellular recycling process, potentially offering hope for conditions like Alzheimer’s. The future drugs in development include therapies that replace aged blood stem cells with younger, rejuvenated ones, offering transformative possibilities for aging populations.